Taking l-carnitine 2 grams a day can literally save your life.
According to science, it prevents strokes
and repair your kidneys - especially if you have anemia.
Hello, Katherine from 00kidney here, welcome to our journey together to a better kidney health.
Taking care of anemia - which affects most people with kidney disease - is one of the
most effective ways to slow down kidney disease and restore some of your kidney function.
This is proven by science. So, if you suffer from weakness,
dizziness, headaches and trouble concentrating, you need to take action against anemia NOW.
And while L-carnitine can really help - especially if you are in stage 4 or 5 of kidney disease -
there are 5 easy ways to fight anemia that will also help improve your kidney function.
Because the kidneys do much more than just filtering the blood.
For instance, they make Erythropoietin - EPO in short - a hormone essential in the
production of red blood cells. When you have kidney disease,
your kidneys cannot make enough EPO for the body to produce the red blood cells it needs.
The result is constant weakness, dizziness, headaches and trouble
concentrating. In one word, anemia. It can happen early in the course of
kidney disease - even in stage 3 - and grow worse as CKD progresses.
Actually, most people with kidney disease will develop anemia sooner or later.
The good news is that you can beat anemia with the top 5 tips of today's video.
Number 5 Get more iron from what you eat
Eating the right WAY is key if you want to beat anemia and get your kidney function back.
A common problem in people with CKD is lack of iron from the diet - this
will make anemia worse and damage the kidneys. Many foods can give you iron - but there's a trick
you need to know to get your body to absorb this iron.
So, let's take a look at this slide. These are the best foods in the world to fight
anemia in people with kidney problems. The trick here is to eat foods rich in
iron - such as spinach, kale, swiss chard, beet greens at the same time as a food rich in vitamin
C - such as kiwi, lemon, strawberry and more. Doing this regularly will provide your body with
enough iron, and will make it bioavailable. It will make all the difference in the
world - I mean, many of these foods are things you already eat, but following
the easy tips of today's video you will turn them from foods to a real kidney medicine.
And, if we take a look at my slide about the best iron rich plant-based foods for the renal diet,
we can see some superfoods that really stand out. First there is Spinach.
spinach is probably the best food in the world when it comes to fighting anemia.
It is one of the best plant-based sources of iron but, spinach also contain significant
amounts of vitamin c which is also key to improve iron levels in the blood.
As we can see here, one cup spinach has 37% of the recommended daily iron intake. And this is a lot,
it can really make a difference. And I know that spinach often show up
on the "Do NOT" or "limit" foods lists of some websites regarding the renal diet,
because of the potassium, but 1 cup of spinach only contains around 170mg of potassium.
So, consult your doctor if you have any doubts about spinach and find a way to
include this superfood in your diet. Consider that eating spinach regularly
has also been associated with lower blood pressure in people with kidney problems.
Another food that we absolutely must consider is swiss chard. This leafy green is less
rich in iron than spinach but it also contains less potassium. And it's also rich in vitamin c.
Oats here are also very healthy and very rich in iron, but they don't have any vitamin C so be
sure to eat them at the same time as a source of vitamin C such as strawberries, kiwis or lemon.
All these foods you see here are very healthy and should always be a part of healthy renal diet.
Just be careful with legumes if you are limiting protein intake.
Ok, very important, always avoid coffee or tea when eating iron rich foods. These beverages
are known to block iron absorption. Now guys, I have another trick up my
sleeve. An easy and cheap way to add more iron to your food without adding protein or potassium.
This is definitely a trick you will wish you knew earlier!
Number 4 The iron cast cookware
This skillet is the best friend of people with kidney problems.
Because when you cook, some metal from your pot or skillet will leach into your food.
And this could be either good or bad for you.
For example, if you often cook in aluminum, a little bit of aluminum will leach into your food,
and this could even cause toxicity. Because your body doesn't need aluminum.
Iron, on the other hand, is part of your body chemistry, it's needed to make red blood cells,
to fight anemia and it plays an essential role in keeping your kidneys healthy.
So, if you cook in one of these, the only thing that will leach into your food is precious iron.
Yes, why bother with supplements if you can get iron directly from the
pot or skillet you're cooking in? Best part is that iron cast cookware
often costs less than regular cookware, works with any type of stove, including electric ones,
and will last you a lifetime. I use this one almost every day, you know, and
it takes a little bit of flavor from the veggies I cook in it, making everything taste better.
Just remember to use lemon abundantly when you cook with one of these.
Now guys, before we move on the next way to beat anemia and repair your kidneys, very important
how to tell if you have anemia? In people with chronic kidney disease,
symptoms of anemia include Weakness and fatigue
headaches. problems with concentration.
paleness. dizziness.
difficulty breathing and chest pain. So, if you have CKD and have one or more
of these symptoms, your doctor will probably order a Complete blood count or CBC test.
These tests are used to check the number of red blood cells, the hemoglobin and
how much iron you have in your body. So, if you haven't been diagnosed already,
talk to your doctor. The goal here is to begin
the treatment for anemia earlier, so you will be able to stop it from damaging your kidneys.
However, this proactive thinking has only shown up in recent years; a good portion of doctors are
still going by old standards. This means that if you think
you are not receiving the correct treatment for anemia, you should get informed about it.
A question for you guys. Has your doctor prescribed you a test for anemia? Are
you already taking steps to fight anemia? Let's talk about it in comment section!
Number 3 Take L carnitine
Fact, if you are in stage 4 or 5 kidney disease or if you have anemia, you NEED carnitine.
Taking 2 grams a day of this supplement can literally save your kidneys.
Chronic kidney disease is known to reduce carnitine absorption - it's a condition
called Secondary carnitine deficiency and a known cause of anemia and kidney damage.
The good news is that taking carnitine as a supplement is easy, safe, can make you feel better
and help improving your kidney function. This amino acid is often used for weight
loss - but it has a ton of other benefits. In particular, in studies on CKD patients,
l-carnitine has been shown to be effective as adjunctive treatment of anemia.
L-carnitine can effectively improve markers of anemia and inflammation
in people with kidney disease. This is why the US FDA has approved
L-carnitine for the treatment and prevention of anemia in people with serious kidney disease.
It also has a potential for reducing blood pressure and the inflammatory
process associated with kidney disease. In one study, 2 grams of acetyl-L-carnitine
per day resulted in an almost 10-point drop in systolic blood pressure - which is frankly amazing
for a supplement you would be taking to help with anemia.
And a different study on people with type 2 diabetes, carnitine supplements significantly
reduced blood sugar levels and improved insulin sensitivity, compared to a placebo.
Now, if this is not enough, carnitine is only present in foods such as meat, poultry and fish.
So, if you are on a plant-based diet, you may really benefit from taking this supplement.
Recommended dose here is 1gram twice daily of acetyl L-carnitine.
There are other types of carnitine available but acetyl L-carnitine
is the best to treat kidney related problems. And even if this supplement is safe, as usual,
consult your doctor before taking it. Next entry, even more effective than carnitine
Number 2 Vitamin b12 and folate
These 2 vitamins of the b group, together, may be your best ally
in fighting anemia and kidney disease. Well, second best, according to my top 5.
Folate, in particular, is directly involved
in the production of red blood cells - which you really need.
Even more interesting. According to a recent study,
Kidney disease patients in stage 3 Who took 0.8 mg folic acid per day
Had a significantly slower progression Of kidney disease
Yes, this vitamin is proven to slow down kidney disease.
Foods such-as leafy greens, asparagus, broccoli, but also seeds, nuts cauliflower
and bell peppers are good sources of it. Now, if you plan to also supplement it,
which is a great idea by the way, also supplement vitamin b12.
Just like folic acid, vitamin b12 can help fight anemia. The difference is
that you're not gonna get this one from food and a deficiency is extremely common and dangerous.
I've talked more in depth about these 2 vitamins in one of my recent videos - I've
also talked about the best dosages and more - it's up here if you have missed it.
Today there are even supplements made specifically for people with anemia.
This one for example contains iron, folate, vitamin C and vitamin b12.
Now, while you can find products like these on amazon.com, my advice here is to talk to
your doctor and see if these supplements are safe for you before you take them.
This brings us to our number 1 Number 1
Get medical treatment Now, the dietary changes and
supplements of today's video will help, but some patients, especially those in the advanced stages,
may also need to take medications. Your doctor may recommend
An Iron supplement as a pill or shot, to supplement the iron you get from food.
Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) such as Epogen or Procrit.
These are medicines that work by sending a signal to your body to make more red blood cells.
Or even Red blood cell transfusion, these last two are more common for people on dialysis.
The bottom line. if you have symptoms of anemia such as fatigue and
paleness and you've not been diagnosed or are not being appropriately treated, talk to your doctor.
Getting diagnosed as soon as possible and taking steps to beat anemia will make you
feel a lot better very quickly. And your kidneys will thank you.
Guys, a very interesting new video is coming next FRIDAY - I really hope to see you there.
In the meantime, keep taking good care of your kidneys and be good to yourself.
Thank you for watching!